Monofuels



MONOFUELS Arthur E. Wharton, Jr., 215 Isabel St, San Antonio, Tex.

No Drawing. Filed Aug. 31, 1950, Ser. No. 182,643

2 Claims. (Cl. 52-.5)

The present invention relates generally to propulsion fuels, and more particularly to propulsion monofuels employing a volatilizable combustant and a perchlorate compound as the oxidizing agent therefor.

Monofuels are generally chemical compositions including a combustible substance and an oxidizing agent within a single mixture, which under certain conditions react to combust the oxidizable substance. In propulsion monofuels, the oxidizing agent usually supplies the oxygen necessary to burn the oxidizable substance into gaseous oxides of its elements, in the absence of an oxidizing atmosphere, at a rate sufficient to provide the desired propelling thrust. Broadly, the present invention contemplates the provision of a stable composition comprising a volatilizable combustible compound or mixture of such compounds, a perchlorate as an oxidizing agent therefor, and a relatively small percentage of a phosphate for stabilizing the combustant perchlorate mixture, so that only when the composition is vaporized may it be caused to combust at a sufiicient rate to function as a monofuel.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a stable propulsion monofuel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stable combustant-oxidant composition, providing a propulsion monofuel when vaporized.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stable composition comprising a volatilizable combustible compound or mixture of such compounds, a volatilizable perchlorate oxidant therefor, and a phosphate as a stabilizer for the combustant-oxidant mixture, providing a propulsion monofuel when vaporized.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stable composition comprising perchloric acid as an oxidant, a combustant including one or more of the compounds propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, amyl actate, benzene, ether, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, acetone, ethyl acetate, and oleic acid, and a relatively small amount of phosphoric acid as a stabilizer for the combustant-oxidant mixture, providing a propulsion monofuel when vaporized.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed description thereof.

It has been found that upon compounding certain combustible and preferably volatile liquid compounds or a mixture of such compounds with a relatively small percentage of phosphoric acid and adding an appropriate amount of perchloric acid thereto as an oxidant, the mixture polymerizes for a period of time, usually one day to two weeks depending upon the molecular weights and configurations of said combustible compounds used, to provide an exceedingly stable composition which can be stored and use in glass, copper, or stainless steel containers or the like. It has been further found that upon vaporization of a composition as above-indicated, said combustible compounds may when a spark or flame is 2,968,539 Patented Jan. 17, 1961 applied to the vapors be combusted by the oxygen contained in the perchloric acid into gaseous oxides of the combustant elements at a sufi'icient rate to enable utilization of the composition as a propulsion monofuel. Propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, amyl acetate, benzene, ether, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, acetone, ethyl acetate, and oleic acid have each been found suitable as a combustant base of the composition above indicated for the purpose of providing a propulsion monofuel.

A one specific example of a monofuel composition produced in accordance with the present invention, 10 grams of actone are mixed with 0.5 gram of phosphoric acid, and 45 grams of perchloric acid are added thereto. The addition of the perchloric acid is a relatively safe operation, but should be had with stirring and should be done slowly to keep the temperature of the liquid at a minimum, and boiling of the mixture should be avoided during this addition.

After polymerization of the acetone monofuel thus compounded, the composition is stable up to degrees centigrade and up to 300 pounds per square inch of pressure; furthermore, this composition boils before it can be ignited from heat alone, and at 30 degrees centigrade cannot be ignited by an open flame such as a match flame. In order to utilize this composition as a propulsion fuel it is necessary to vaporize the same, and the vapors may then be ignited by a spark or flame in the absence of an oxygen containing atmosphere to product the gasses necessary for a propulsion thrust. The perchloric acid provides the oxygen supply for combustion of the acetone, and therefore the percentage ratio of acetone or other combustant compound to perchloric acid must be varied in accordance with the combustant used. The proper ratio of perchloric acid to a particular combustant used to obtain complete combustion may be readily determined by a skilled worker in the'art. The amount of phosphoric acid necessary for stabilizing the combustant-oxidant mixture is approximately 5 to 10 percent by weight of the combustant, the precise amount necessary depending primarily upon the volatility of the combustant.

There is thus presented by the present invention a combustant-oxidant composition suitable for use as a monofuel when vaporized, and more stable in its unvaporized state than ordinary nitrated liquid propellants. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, other volatilizable combustible compounds than those specifically enumerated hereinabove may be utilized for the purposes of the present invention, and furthermore other phosphates and perchlorates than the acids thereof may be found suitable with certain combustants. Therefore, such modifications of the present invention as will be apparent to those skilled in the art and which are within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims, are within the contemplation of the present patent.

What is claimed is:

1. A propellant consisting of a volatilizable liquid combustant from the class consisting of propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, amyl acetate, benzene, ethyl ether, ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, acetone, ethyl acetate, and oleic acid; perchloric acid in an amount sufficient to substantially completely oxidize the com bustant; and phosphoric acid in an amount ranging from about 5 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the combustant as a stabilizer for the combustant-oxidant mixture.

2. A propellant consisting of about 10 grams of acetone, about 45 grams of perchloric acid and about .5 gram of phosphoric acid, said propellant being stable up to 100 C, and up to 300 pounds per square inch of 3 4 pressure and being resistant to ignition by an open flame 1,506,323 ONeill Aug. 26, 1924 at 30 0. 2,325,618 Lysholm Aug. 3, 1943 2,479,470 Carr Aug. 16, 1949 References Cited in the file of this patent OTHER REFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Mellor: Comprehensive Treatise on Inorganic and 289,756 Divine Dec. 4, 1883 Theoretical Chemistry, vol. 2 (1922), page 380. 289,760 Divine Dec. 4, 1883 Journal of the American Rocket Society, No. 72, 1,275,765 Schaidhauf Aug. 13, 1918 December 1947, page 32. 

1. A PROPELLANT CONSISTING OF A VOLATILIZABLE LIQUID COMBUSTANT FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF PROPYL ALCOHOL, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, AMYL ALCOHOL, AMYL ACETATE, BENZENE, ETHYL ETHER, ETHYL ALCOHOL, METHYL ALCOHOL, ACETONE, ETHYL ACETATE, AND OLEIC ACID; PERCHLORIC ACID IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY OXIDIZE THE COMBUSTANT; AND PHOSPHORIC ACID IN AN AMOUNT RNGING FROM ABOUT 5 PERCENT TO ABOUT 10 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF THE COMBUSTANT AS A STABILIZER FOR THE COMBUSTANT-OXIDANT MIXTURE. 